The Sleeping Giants of the Milky Way: ESA's Gaia Mission Discovers Massive Dormant Black Hole

Category Space

Friday - April 19 2024, 05:31 UTC - 7 months ago

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ESA's Gaia mission has uncovered a massive dormant black hole, named Gaia BH3, with a mass of 33 times that of the Sun, challenging current theories on black hole formation. The discovery was made possible by data from the Gaia mission and other telescopes, and its composition suggests it was formed by a massive star with few heavy elements. This is the third dormant black hole found by Gaia and its high mass makes it a unique and exciting discovery for scientists. Further research may provide insights into the formation of dormant black holes.

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ESA's Gaia mission, launched in 2013, has been gathering data on the positions and characteristics of over one billion stars in the Milky Way. From this wealth of information, scientists have been able to uncover a 'sleeping giant' - a massive black hole with a mass of nearly 33 times that of the Sun. The discovery, published in Astronomy & Astrophysics, challenges our current understanding of how massive stars develop and evolve .

The massive dormant black hole was found in the constellation Aquila, less than 2000 light-years from Earth.

Black holes are objects so dense that nothing, not even light, can escape their immense gravitational pull. The majority of known black holes in our galaxy are actively consuming matter from nearby companion stars, emitting X-rays in the process. However, there are also dormant black holes that do not have a companion close enough to steal matter from, making them extremely difficult to detect. To prepare for the release of the next Gaia catalog, scientists are analyzing the data for any unusual motions of stars that could be caused by companions such as planets, stars, or black holes .

The black hole has a mass of nearly 33 times that of the Sun and challenges current theories on black hole formation.

The discovery of Gaia BH3, the third dormant black hole found by Gaia, was made possible by this extensive analysis. Its high mass and lack of nearby companion stars make it a unique and exciting find for scientists. Further research and analysis may provide insight into the mysterious formation of these massive dormant black holes.

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